Method for the fermentationless conservation of fruit-, grape-, and greens-juices



METHOD FOR TH FERMENTA'TIONLESS CONSERVATION 0F FRUIT-GRAPE-AND GREENS-JUICES Filed Aug. 14, 1940 oct. 31,1944. E L v. E. LIZE-'RAY 2,361,695

Patentes on. 31, '1944 ME'rnop Fon 'run CONSERVATION or GBEENS-JUICES Ernest Lon Victor Emile Llzeray,

Alien Property Application August 14, 1940, Serial In France July 1,- 1939 vested in the s claims.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for thefermentationless conservation of fruit, grapeand greens-juices.

As a well known disadvantage, conserved fruit, grapeand greens-juices as usually on the market have another flavor and odor than the freshly squeezed juices. However, it has not been possible hitherto to conserve these juices and to bottle them without previously treating them in a delnite manner. The known proceedings hither to used result-in an alteration of the flavor and odor of the juice, owing to the fact that during the treatment with yeast as soon as symptoms of a fermentation tum up, the first chemical reactions caused by the cells of yeast modify certain original combinations of the juice, causing in this manner a detrimental alteration of the flavor and odor of the freshly squeezedv Juice.

It is further to be noted that during the prosecution of certain proceedings, either before the vconcentration or thepbottling, or .before the conveying of the juices to conserving tanks, in which they are to be preserved against deterioration by cooling or carbonio acid under pressure-a definite period of time elapses during which the juices are undergoing a fermentation, as for example at the clarifying, the filtration and sometimes at the ultra-filtration of the Juices.

In several countries, it isalso permitted to use chemicals inorder to prevent formation of iron or copper containing precipitations and to efl'ectuate the clarification of the juices. but such chemicals have a destroying effect to the sensitive vitamins of the juices. Other chemicals such as benzoates, the use of which is permitted in several countries, have the typical avor of pharmaceutical preparations.

By using sulphuric acid and potassium metabisulphite which are also permitted in several countries, the vitamins are equally destroyed and a disagreeable sulphur smell' is produced, since these combinations when brought into the juice, are transforming themselves partly into sulphuric acid and combine with a part of the free sulphur dioxide or with that having been freed by the natural acids of the Juice to a combination impossible to be destroyed merely by heat application and decomposition by boiling visrrbut very difficult, so that a subsequent desulphuration is rendered very difficult. 'Ihe combination formed in this manner further undergoes in presence of the organic substances of the juice and after certain time a decomposition thus producing free sulphuretted hydrogen with its known nauseous odor.

FERMENTATIONIESS FBUIT, GRAP Paris, France; Custodian Even with those juices in which fermentation` could be prevented, it mustsometimes be stated that when growing old the avor and odor of the same is altered. Particularly the juices of fruits from the south, for example oranges, are getting after a relatively short time a mouldy flavor and a slight odor of turpentine.

The juices generally eager for oxidation and combinations of which are partly very liable to oxidation, absorb oxygen or are undergoing alterations during the prosecuttion of certain treatments or during the heating required for the concentration and stabilization of the juices, which alterations are producing a partial oxidation. These alterations result in the production of a davor of stewed or baked fruit and of a cooking odor andparticularly in the fruits from the sciita-the creation of a slight turpentine oder. The consumer notices this as disagreeable and will not care any more for conserved juices.

The small quantities of stewed fruit and of pulp present in the squeezed juice contain a part of 'the juice, and with some fruits very savory components. In fruits 'from the south, these components also contain essence-oils which are very liable to produce further alterations of the juice asto iiavor and odor.

The usual proceedings for the partial separation of these pulp residues etc. requires time and if the juice is not absolutely prevented from the access of air during this time and if the Juice is not enclosed in absolute vacuum, it is going to oxidlze more or less. As far as juice of fruits from the south is concerned, it will thus become stale and dead and will loose the vivacious, pregnant flavor of the freshly squeezed juice.

e inventor has found a 'number of new fundamental statements which though new are not in contradiction with the fundamental principles fixed by Pasteur that on the one hand the yeast is developed as a result of a large introduction of oxygen, producing but very small quantities a vessel of approximately an.

formation of the yeast cells M substance caused by the yeast cells, whichsubstance `increases the capacity of fermentation of the yeast cells and their vitality andability of respiration. From this it follows that vit is much vfor their biologic functions (sugar and some v cooling down to solidication of the liquid, the

use of antiseptics-. of anti-fermenting means and of chemical substances which are to help clarify with.

It is, therefore, no longer to. be feared tha y immediately or later on alterations of'flavor and more diicult to stop a fermentation .once

initiated than to prevent it.

`2-. Whenthe liquid in which theyeast cellsl have infiltrated is absolutely kept out of contact with oxygen, the following will happen: After having consumed their own quantity of oxygen,`

produced the small quantity of alcohol and car-l bonic dioxide corresponding to their ability and duration of life, and having developed them- 1 selves more or less weakly (weakly in consequence of the lack of oxygen) the yeast cells are producing branch cells which apparently have forgotten their descent'wholly or partly and seem to be no more able yto produce alcohol and carbonic dioxide. However this does not prevent the liquid, when coming in contactI with fresh air to undergo an active fermentation according to its nature and to the given conditions of temperature.

3. If the juice immediately after squeezing' is rapidly cooled down, say close to the freezing point, i. e. to 28.4 Fahrenheit, it results not only odor may take place. There is further no more danger ofslow oxidation on storing the juices in tanks kept cool or under carbonio dioxide (the carbonio dioxide is not able, even when it may paralyze the yeast cells, to prevent the action of the.y dissolved oxygen nor the formation of a cooking or baking avor which lis produced by thev cooking of the juice required for vthe concentration or bottle-stabilization of the juice).

The complete expulsion of the absorbed oxygen and the elimination of any possibility of oxidaa deademng of the yeast cells contained. in the juice, but there occurs also a partial precipitation of certain combinations which release by .splitting the separation of other elements and consequently initiates clarifying,

4. When the juice is completely freed from oxygen, completely prevented from all possibility of oxidation and simultaneously is sufciently cooled, formation of the aforesaid alterations of flavor and odor is no longer to be feared, and they will not appear neither at the moment nor later, nor under the influence of a moderate heating of a relatively short duration.

5. When a liquid containing absorbed gases is subjected to vacuum and when this vacuum corresponds to the absolute pressure under which thev liquid at the. temperature which it possesses begins to boil, the gases absorbed by the liquid are expelled under the condition that the vapors produced by boiling are continually sucked oir. The temperature of the liquid drops under ,the inuence of the evaporation which the liquid is subjected to.

The result would not be-the same when the produced vapors werev not continually sucked o, since when the pressure of the vapors reaches the absolute pressure under which the liquid at the prevailing temperature Abegins to boil boiling of the liquid and consequentlyexpelling of the gases would cease,

6.. When at a temperature somewhat below that at which the yeast cells are destroyed .the liquid is subjected to a vacuum that corresponds to the absolute pressure under which the liquid at the prevailing temperature begins to boil, it

-may be noted that the yeast cells resist this tion hinders the development of the yeast cells and the few branch yeast cells which maybe produced, are no longer to be feared. Theaforesaid temperature below the freezing-point should prevail as long as required for preventing fermentation during bottling and an eventual stabilization (of turbid juices).

When juices are to be furnished absolutely clear, requiring clarifying, filtration and even ultra-filtration, it is easy to prevent them from warming above the very low temperature to which they are brought.

The method based on the afo and in accordance with the present invention consists of atomizing colloidally and of homogenizing the juice to be treated, then dispersing it under a high vacuum, then dropping the temperature of the juice below the freezing point by boiling and simultaneous evaporation until complete expulsion of the gaSeathat is, complete extraction of the oxygen, theproduced vapors as well as the gases absorbed .by the juice being continually sucked off by vacuum, and immediately filling the produced liquid in receptacles for storage or delivery.

The colloidal atomizing and homogenizing ci the juice is preferably effected in the vacuum also, and all aforesaid operations are advantageously carried out in the same evacuated receptacle. After the homogenizing and dispersion ci the juice, the extraction of the oxygen physically dissolved in the juice may be effectuated instantly whilst the temperature of the juice is simultaneously and in a fraction of a second lowered below the freezing point, viz: down to 28.4 Fahrenheit,owing to boiling and the resulting evaporation under an absolute pressure of approximately 352'.' of mercury which head corren sponds to the pressure of water-steam ,at a temperature of 28.4 Fahrenheit. This intense cooling causes the precipitation of certain components vwhereby the clarifying of the juice is effectuated.

the juice in contact with air. The simultaneousness of the colloidal trituration, of the extraction oi the oxygen and o the cooling down to the freezing point, forexarnple, to 28.4 Fahrenheit. and this during the same fraction f a second results in an obvious advantage.

The colloidal trituration andftheintense hoesaid statements.

pipeJ.

which" might thus escape the action of the deoxidizing processes.

A preferred manner of carrying out the method according to the invention is described hereinafter: i i

The introduced juice is rst subjected to' an intense colloidal trituration and homogenizing which is carried out so to say in an absolute vacuum of 35; of mercury corresponding to a boiling temperature of the' juice of 28.4 Fahrenheit. After that, the juice is dispersed past through a strainer under the action of its own weight. Then is efiectuated the complete extraction of the oxygen absorbed in the juice by extracting the water-steam produced by fboiling in absolute vacuum, the produced steam being continually sucked off. The cooling of the juice close to the freezing point is obtained by evaporating a portion ,of the water contained in the juice boiling it under vacuum. Clarification.of

the juice is started by the beginning of the precipitation of certain components caused by the cooling in the vacuum, and consequently in absence of air.

All Athese operations can be carried out in the same receptacle of the apparatus and this in a rapid succession of fractions .of a second.

Juices which are to be furnished in a clear state, are heated up to from 122-140" Fahrenheit in order to obtain a preliminary clarification. Then the juices are filtered, bottled under vacuum and sterilized.

The apparatus according to the invention for carrying out `the aforesaid method comprises in combination means, for'example, a mill for the colloidal atomizatlon and homogenlzing of the juice by means of an intensive trituration of theA stewed fruit and cell particles arranged in a hermetically sealed receptacle which also contains a dispersing device with the necessary openings and connecting-sockets and to which is connected a device for generating a high, so

1 strainer 22.

to say, absolute vacuum which enables the juice v to be boiled at a very low temperature owing to continually sucking olf the produced vapors from the said receptacle'. t

A preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing. of which Fig. 1A shows a sectional elevation, while Fig. 2 shows a modification of a fragment of the apparatus in elevation and partial section.

In the shown apparatus. the juice coming from the not shownnpress o1' a known kind and design and freed from kernels passes through the pipe I into the collector 2. This collector vessel 2 i'has a Jacket 3 and a' central cavity 4 filled with a cr. Iling liquid which is introduced through the socket 5 and drained through the socket 6. For draining the cooling liquid, the central-cavity 4 is connected to the side wall of the jacket bya In the collector z is immersed the end Qf the suction pipe 8 which connects the same to the vinlet-socket I0' ofthe receptacle II. In the pipeline 9 4is inserted a valve I2 for the admission or cutting-oft of the Juice, and adjacent to the said valve is provideda diaphragm I2 with a central aperture for the regulation to a maximum of the quantity of liquid admitted;

The inlet-socket III vis arranged on the side 'wall of the receptacle II above a funnel I4 closely connected to the cylindrical wall of the receptacle and which conveys the introduced juice to the colloidal mill which is to effectuate a colloidal trituration and homogenizing of the juice to be treated. Said mill is provided with a vrotor I6 directly fitted on the shaft I8 of an electrical motor I1 located in the upper part of the receptacle I I, so that it is rotating at high speed.

Current is fed to the motor I'I by means of a cable I9 introduced through the wall of the receptacle II by means ofV an airtight stumngbox 20.

The rotor of said mill may be ribbed or otherwise corrugated on its circumferential surface and is preferably shaped toa truncated form in order to permit adjustment of the air gap between the rotor I6 and the stationary milling crown 2i. The rotor I6, therefore, can be approached to the stationary milling crown 2I corrugated in a similar manner, so as to reduce the air gap to an extremely small extent thereby permitting trituration to a maximum of fineness anda'very extreme homogenization.

For the dispersion of the juice draining from the colloidal mill, inthe receptacle II is provided a strainer. 22 of stainless teel or enamelled iron sheet connected at its border to the wall of the receptacle II and fitted with an upright pipe 23. vNumber and size of the strainer g larger receptacle 24 in the cover of which it is inserted eccentrically, so that the apparatus is fitted with two chambers separated by the In order to obtain an equilibrium of pressure, the two chambers are interconnected to one another by the tube 23 emerging from the level of liquid above the strainer 22. The parts II, i5 and 24 of the apparatus are made of iron sheet v-enamelled on the inside in order to prevent the development of a metallic flavor.

Diametrically opposed to the tube 25 is located atthe highest point of the side wall of the receptacle 24 a large out-let opening 21 through which the gases and vapors generated during the 1 boiling of the juice in the vacuum may escape.

To this opening is connected the vacuum generating device the design of which is as follows:

For generating the vacuum, a steam ejector the introduced water.

denser II of a similar but smaller-design as the aforesaid condenser.

length corresponding to the minimum of baro-` metrical pressure.

The feeding of water to the two condensers 23 and 33 is eiectuated by means of a pipe 43 branched olf the water reservoir 40 and from which the water is drawn into the condensers by vacuum.A

On the lower end of the conical bottom of the receptacle 24 is arranged an, outlet-socket 4l, through which the juice drains off through a cock 43 and the pipe 42 and enters the juice receptacle 44. This pipe must be somewhat shorter than required by the barometrical'height.

The juice reservoir 44 comprises a separating wall 45 and at the bottom a connecting'socket for the juice drain pipe 4G to carry on the treated juice. This may be conveyed either right into a bottling machine or into two pasteurizing apparatuses 41 and 28 known per se which may be taken in use alternatingly. Said lpasteurizing apparatuses are connected to the vacuum and may be used as storing receptacles when pasteurizing is not desired.

Should the local conditions notallow the re-V quired height of the described apparatus, pumps may be employed for drawing oil of juice and water.

Instead of the described strainer 22, another dispersion device could be provided, for example, tangential- Lor vertical spraying nozzles of a known design which disperse the liquid in a spray or rain by means of its velocity.

The manner of operation of the aforedescribed apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention is as described hereinafter:

When starting the. apparatus, care should be taken that the steam pressure is regulated by I means of a steam regulator and a water-separator inserted in order to keep the introduced vapor dry. Further must thewater-pipings 31 and 38 be filled with'water and the pipes 9 and 42 with juice. It is further important that the introduced juices are fully free of impurities.

Now, the steam valves of the electors 35,` 32

of the juice and on the other hand the expulsion oi the gases and vapors contained in the juice which are immediately and continually drawn off through the opening 21.

Theoooled juice freed from the gases leaves` the receptacle 2d past the outlet el and is conveyed through the pipe i2 into the juice reservoir M from which it may be drawn oi for further use while the gases and vapors sucked off at 2l pass i the two condensers 2t and 33.

- It is yadvisable to pour en the surface of the vacuum prevailing in the receptacles Il and 24, thereby producing on the one hand a cooling Juice in the open reservoir 44 a thin layer of oil in order to prevent all contact o! the juice with the air. When the juice is circulating in this reservoir, the essential oils which have been freed -by the effect of the trituration and homogenizing in the colloidal mill, may mix themselves with said layer of oil.

The collector 2 serves as a storing receptacle for the treated juice and it is not to be feared that the temperature of the treated juice is iniluenced by variations of the level of liquid in said collector.

Continuous operation when carrying out the aforedescribed method is not absolutely necessary and provisions could be taken for an intermittent operation of the boiling and evaporating process. trated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. In this arrangement, the lower end of the receptacle il' enclosing the colloidal mill 16/m with its driving motor i1 as aforedescribed is-connected by means of a two-way cock 52 to a bifurcated pipe 5| which conveys the triturated and homogenized juice into the two dispersing apparatus which maybe taken alternatingly in use. Each dispersing apparatus comprises a receptacle 25a or 25h respectively with a truncated tube as aforedescribed and enclosing a strainer 22a with a tube for the equalizing of pressure in the two chambers. The truncated tube immerges into the receptacle 24a or 24h respectively as aforedescribed forming thus a device with two chambers of vacuum interconnected by the tube 23a. From the outlet lia or 4ib respectively at the bottom of the receptacle 24a or 2lb respectively, the collected juice is conveyed o` through the valve 43a or 43h respectively and the pipe 42a or 42h respectively, while the extracted vapors and gases ofthe juice may be sucked oil' at the outlet opening 21a or 21h respectively and conveyed to the condensing apparatus connected to the outlet openings 21a and 21h respectively as aforedescribed. The two devices 25a/29a and 25h/24h may be takenalternatingly in use 'by means of the two-way cock 52 producing thus an intermittent dispersion and extraction process. For the remaining part, the operation as well as the apparatus are completely corresponding to the aforedescribed operation and apparatus.

When a preliminary cooling of the Juices is intended, the apparatus producing the vacuum and the refrigeration may be used for cooling the cooling liquid.

Itis to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the exact detalls of the method and construction shown and described, but changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method for the fermentationless conservation or fruit, grapeand vegetable-juices, which comprises colloidally atoinizing and homogenizing the juice to be treated, dispel-sing the resultant homogenized :product under a high vacuum, simultaneously boiling and evaporating the dispersed product under a high vacuum until gases present are completely expelled therefrom, whereby the temperature of the product is reduced substantially to its freezing point, contini ually removing vapors and gases evolved during the aforesaid simultaneous boiling and evaporating, and immediately filling the resultant liquid into receptacles.

An arrangement of this kind is illus- 2. The method recited in claim 1, the colloidal ing o t the homogenized product being enacted by atomizing and homogenizing being eie'cted by allowing it to drop by gravity throughs. distrituration. persing zone.

3. The method recited in claim 1, the aforesaid 5. The method recited in claim 1, the filling vacuum .being approximately 3%" of mercury, 5 into receptacles being eirected undervacuumimd whereby the temperature oi the product is resterilizing the illled receptacles.

duced t0 about 28.4 F. ERNE El m E ZEE s 4. The method recited in claim l, the dispers- ST LON VICTOR Y' 

